Caitlin Clarkmight be sidelined right now, but that didn’t stop her from stealing the spotlight at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday night.
The Indiana Fever star, currently nursing a quad injury, showed up to Game 3 of the NBA Finals with her teammates and brought some serious Pacers energy. As Tyrese Haliburton and the squad mounted a furious fourth-quarter comeback against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Clark jumped to her feet and threw down a piece of Indiana basketball history – Reggie Miller’s iconic “choke” gesture.
The moment came just as the Pacers completed a 32-18 run in the final quarter, flipping the script on a five-point deficit and locking in a 116-107 win. The celebration wasn’t just spontaneous – it was a nod to one of the most famous trash-talk moments in NBA history, when Miller taunted Spike Lee and the Knicks during a legendary playoff comeback in 1994.
When the Past Meets the Present – and Goes Viral
Clark’s reenactment instantly went viral, striking a chord with longtime Pacers fans who remember that ’94 series like it was yesterday. And this isn’t the first time that gesture’s made a comeback. Haliburton pulled it out himself last month at Madison Square Garden, when Indiana rallied from behind in Game 1 against New York.
“I wanted Reggie to see it more than anything,” Haliburton said at the time via The Athletic. “We’re trying to build our own legacy here – but honoring those who laid the foundation means everything.”
Reggie Miller clearly approved. After the game, he shared a photo of himself with Clark and Haliburton, captioning it: “LEGENDS RECOGNIZE LEGENDS #PacersFamily.”
Clark didn’t give interviews postgame, but cameras caught her and Haliburton hugging Miller by the tunnel – a full-circle moment for a franchise that’s suddenly feeling like it’s living in a golden era again.
Game 4 tips off Friday night in Indy. If this keeps up, Caitlin Clark might need a jersey and a mic.
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